Block 216
Block 216 is a high-rise building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The 35-story building replaced the Alder Street food cart pod and parking lot between 9th and 10th avenues and Alder and Washington streets. At 460 feet (140 m) tall, it is Portland's fifth-tallest structure. Block 216 houses the Ritz-Carlton, Portland, the food hall Flock, and other retailers.
| Block 216 | |
|---|---|
 The building viewed from Burnside Street | |
 Interactive map of the Block 216 area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 900 Southwest Washington Street, Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′15″N 122°40′52″W / 45.52088°N 122.68106°W |
| Height | |
| Height | 460 ft (140 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 35 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | GBD Architects |
| Developer | Walter Bowen / BPM Real Estate Group |
| Other information | |
| Number of units | 132 condominiums 251 hotel rooms |
Block 216 is a high-rise building in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The 35-story building replaced the Alder Street food cart pod and parking lot between 9th and 10th avenues and Alder and Washington streets. At 460 feet (140 m) tall, it is Portland's fifth-tallest structure.[1] Block 216 houses the Ritz-Carlton, Portland, the food hall Flock, and other retailers.
Description and history
[edit]Block 216 was designed by Portland-based architecture firm, GBD Architects, and structural engineering firm, KPFF, and is the largest building by volume constructed in Portland since the U.S. Bancorp Tower.[2] Walter Bowen / BPM Real Estate Group was the developer.[3][4]
The Alder Street food cart pod, Portland's largest with dozens of vendors, previously occupied this block before plans for the tower were announced. The cart pod closed in June 2019.[5][6] The groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 12, 2019.[7] A grand opening was scheduled for August 15, 2023.[8] The development includes one block of the Green Loop, the first portion of the in-progress linear park to be completed downtown,[9] though the project team requested the waiving of the requirement that buildings along the Green Loop are set back 12 feet to accommodate space for trees and other landscaping.[10]
In March 2024, general contractor Howard S. Wright filed a $26 million construction lien against the project.[11] The real estate brokerage Colliers said the completion of completion of the 11W and Block 216 projects "marked the end of downtown Portland's pre-COVID speculative office building construction".[12]
Tenants
[edit]Ritz-Carlton manages a hotel (the first in the Pacific Northwest),[13] as well as condominium units in the building's upper floors. The lowest seven floors comprise 158,000 square feet (14,700 m2) of office space;[14] one major tenant is the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine, who will occupy 19,100 square feet.[15][16] Packouz Jewelers[17] and Rolex will reportedly occupy retail storefronts.[18]
Flock food hall
[edit]
Flock is Block 216's ground floor food hall with indoor and outdoor seating for approximately 130 people.[19] The space accommodates ten vendors, including one designated for hosting pop-ups.[20] The approximately 8,000-square-foot food hall was designed by Woodblock Architecture.[19]
The company operating Flock received a $3 million loan for the project from Prosper Portland, following approval by the board of commissioners in 2023.[21][22] Flock was slated to launch with the following nine BIPOC-owned businesses:[20][23][24]
- Artly Coffee, which serves coffee and other drinks via robots
- Birrieria La Plaza, an outpost of the Mexican restaurant most known for birria
- Kim Jong Grillin' (Korean cuisine)
- Magna Kusina presents Sun Rice (or Sunrice)[25]
- Prime Tap House, the food hall's main bar
- Queen Mama's Kitchen (Saudi Arabian cuisine)[26]
- Suzaku (sushi)
- ZabPinto Thai Kitchen (Thai cuisine)
Originally scheduled to open in November 2023, Flock experienced a series of delays opening.[27][28] In March 2024, Eater Portland reported that Kim Jong Grillin' and Sun Rice had pulled out of the project, and no opening date for the food hall has been announced.[29] In April 2024, the website's Brooke Jackson-Glidden reported that Pan Roast planned to open in Flock in May.[30] In July, Axios Portland said an August opening might be possible.[31]
Following a preview event on January 30, Flock opened on February 2, 2025. The opening included a ribbon cutting ceremony and a lion dance to commemorate Lunar New Year.[28] In addition to Birrieria La Plaza, Prime Tap House, Queen Mama's Kitchen, and ZabPinto Thai Kitchen, the food hall opened with the following vendors:[27]
- Bb.q Chicken (Korean fried chicken)[27]
- HK Bistro (Chinese cuisine, dim sum)[27]
- Pan Roast PNW (seafood)[27][28]
- Tous le Jours, described as a French-Asian bakery[27]
Flock is slated to host events, such as viewing parties for the Super Bowl and a Portland Trail Blazers game in February 2025. The winery Nest and Vine is also slated to become a vendor.[28]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Herron, Elise (December 20, 2018). "Goodbye, Alder Street Food Cart Pod. Hello, Portland's Tallest Hotel". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ "Block 216 Receives Design Approval". GBD Architects. 2018-12-14. Archived from the original on 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
- ^ Manning, Jeff (2023-12-06). "Developer of downtown Portland Block 216 tower, anchored by Ritz-Carlton, faces foreclosure of California hotel". The Oregonian. Advance Publications. ISSN 8750-1317. OCLC 985410693. Archived from the original on 2023-12-29. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ Effinger, Anthony (2023-06-15). "Closely Watched Ritz-Carlton Tower Gets Anchor Tenant for Office Floors". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
- ^ Ramakrishnan, Jayati (May 31, 2019). "Alder Street food cart pod to close June 30". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Bell, Jon (May 31, 2019). "It's official: Popular downtown Portland food cart pod to close by June 30". Portland Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Orr, Donald (July 12, 2019). "Groundbreaking Held For Portland Ritz-Carlton At Shuttered Food Cart Site". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2021-02-14. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
- ^ Manning, Jeff (2023-06-10). "Ritz-Carlton tower in downtown Portland sets opening date". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ "DESIGN COMMISSION APPROVES BLOCK 216 TOWER (IMAGES)". www.nextportland.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Block 216 project team faces tough questions". Oregon DJC. 2018-08-17. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Manning, Jeff (2024-03-14). "Contractor files lien against downtown Portland's Block 216 tower". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ^ Bach, Jonathan (2024-03-28). "Downtown Portland's rate of vacant office space is highest in the US, report says". KGW. Archived from the original on 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ^ Bell, Jon (June 20, 2019). "Developer to bring the Northwest's first Ritz-Carlton to new 35-story downtown tower". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ^ Minnick, Benjamin (October 27, 2023). "Ritzy high-rise hotel to open on Halloween in downtown Portland". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^ Effinger, Anthony (14 June 2023). "Closely Watched Ritz-Carlton Tower Gets Anchor Tenant for Office Floors". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Dorsey, Hilary (2023-06-17). "Law firm to become anchor tenant in Block 216 tower". Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ^ Bach, Jonathan (February 10, 2022). "Century-old downtown Portland retailer to move to Ritz-Carlton tower". Portland Business Journal. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
- ^ Wallace, Hannah (2023-09-10). "The opening of a luxury hotel in downtown Portland has divided the city". Fast Company. ISSN 1085-9241. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ a b "FLOCK Is The New Face of Portland's Food Cart Scene". Portland Monthly. 2023-05-17. ISSN 1546-2765. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ^ a b Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2023-04-06). "These Are the Restaurants Opening Within Downtown's Star-Studded Food Hall". Eater Portland. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ Manning, Jeff; Russell, Michael (2023-10-12). "Portland agency to loan $3 million for Flock food hall in Ritz-Carlton tower". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ^ Andrews, Garrett (2025-04-21). "Ritz on the Fritz: Downtown High-Rise Appears Headed For Sale". Oregon Business. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
Flock, the food hall at the bottom of the tower, received $3 million from Prosper Portland, the city's economic development arm.
- ^ Russell, Michael (2023-04-10). "Ritz-Carlton developers announce vendors for upcoming food hall, Flock". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
- ^ Pettigrew, Jashayla (2023-04-08). "Here's what we know about the new Flock food hall opening in Downtown Portland". KOIN. Archived from the original on 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2023-01-10). "Blockbuster Birria Cart Birrieria La Plaza Will Open a Southeast Portland Restaurant". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2023-11-01). "Queen Mama's Kitchen, Portland's Only Dedicated Saudi Arabian Restaurant, Celebrates the Country's Culinary Influences". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-11-01. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
- ^ a b c d e f Spencer, Malia (January 31, 2025). "Restaurant Roundup: Kann hits Goldbelly, Flock finally opens". Portland Business Journal. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
- ^ a b c d Profenna, Chiara (2025-01-31). "Long-anticipated The Flock, Ritz-Carlton food hall, opens in downtown Portland". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2024-03-25). "Ask Eater: What's Going on With the Flock Food Hall Downtown?". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-03-25. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2024-04-17). "This Incoming Seafood Bar Wants to Bring Pan Roasts to Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
- ^ Gebel, Meira (2024-07-05). "After long delay, Block 216's food hall Flock could open in august". Axios Portland. Retrieved 2025-02-01.
External links
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